(Denver, Dec. 20, 2011) – Gates Corp., maker of the chain-replacing Gates Carbon Drive™ belt drive for bikes, has formed an all-star panel of bike industry legends and pioneers including the founders of Breezer, Ibis, WTB, Salsa and Rock Lobster to judge a new design contest at the 2012 North American Handmade Bicycle Show, March 2-4 in Sacramento.

The “celebrity” judges will cast the deciding votes in Gates Carbon Drive’s Innovative Belt Drive Bike Design Contest, which will award $8,750 in cash and prizes to qualified frame builders who create the most innovative bicycles with Gates Carbon Drive for display at NAHBS 2012, March 2-4 in Sacramento.

“Breeze, Nicol, Potts, Murray, Shafer and Sadoff: these are the names that helped spur the modern American bike industry,” says Frank Scurlock, global sales director for Gates Carbon Drive. “Gates is honored that these bicycling legends will join us in Sacramento to judge the belt drive bike designs of the next generation of innovators and master builders.”

The judging panel includes:

Joe Breeze, builder and designer since 1974, founder of Breezer Bikes, Mountain Bike Hall of Fame member whose Breezer #1 will soon become part of the Smithsonian collection;

Scot Nicol, founder of Ibis Bicycles (1982) and member of Mountain Bike Hall of Fame;

Steve Potts, Mountain Bike Hall of Fame member, one of the founders of Wilderness Trail Bikes (WTB) and owner of Steve Potts Bicycles, known today for his titanium frames;

First prize is $5,000 in cash and prizes ($2,500 cash, 10 Carbon Drives valued at $2,500). Second prize is 10 Carbon Drives worth $2,500. Third prize is five Carbon Drives worth $1,250. Winning bikes will be displayed on the main awards stage at NAHBS on Saturday, March 3, and shown in the Gates booth on March 4.

To see the official rules and enter the contest, go to www.gatescarbondrive.com/designcontest. NAHBS exhibitors can also find more information about the contest by clicking on the Gates logo at www.2012.handmadebicycleshow.com. The contest is the centerpiece of Gates Carbon Drive’s three-year sponsorship of NAHBS, the world’s number one showcase for handmade custom bicycles. Gates hopes to help grow the popularity of handmade bikes and foster innovation in the booming custom frame builder industry.

About Gates Carbon Drive
Consisting of a high-strength belt embedded with carbon fiber cords and two pulleys, Gates Carbon Drive™ is a low-maintenance, chain-replacing technology from Gates Corp., the global leader in automotive and industrial belts. Clean, quiet, light and strong, Carbon Drive requires no greasy lube, weighs less than a chain drive and will not stretch. Featured on bikes from Trek, Specialized, BMC, Scott, Focus and 64-plus brands, Carbon Drive has grown in popularity every year since its introduction in 2007 and will be spec’d on approximately 150 bike models worldwide in 2012, plus numerous custom belt drive bikes. Due to its low maintenance and ease of use, Carbon Drive is a technology that can get more people on bikes. Visit www.gatescarbondrive.com

Source: Paul Tolme

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